Mr. CowAN. Yes, sir. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. On the theory that it was communistic in character? Mr. COWAN. I think the major criticisms that we have had have come from the official representatives of the Polish Government in this country. They have from time to time made complaints about the broadcasts. Mr. DAVIS. But I cannot recall that any of those complaints have ever been substantiated. Mr. BARRETT. Complaints have been substantiated in the sense that the broadcasts did include the statements complained of, but they have not been substantiated in the sense that these statements were a departure from the United States foreign policy. We get frequent complaints from various factions who are interested in the politics of southeastern Europe. That is because the factions differ very widely on what should be said to those countries, but we coordinate our effort very carefully with the State Department, and with very rare exceptions, every broadcast, as was said earlier, is an accurate reflection of American foreign policy. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Have the charges that the material broadcast was, in fact, communistic in character, continued during the past year, since we last discussed the appropriations for O. W. I.? Mr. COWAN, I do not think the complaints have been that as much Mr. WIGGLESWORTH (interposing). Have there been any complaints along that line? Mr. DAVIS. If there have been any, Mr. Wigglesworth, they have not been substantiated. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. But that does not answer my question. Mr. BARNARD. No, sir: I do not recall any complaints on that subject in recent months. Mr. DAVIS. I would not be sure that there have been none in the last year, but there have not been any lately. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. I wish you would check that up and put something in the record on it. We discussed it before, and I would like to know whether that character of charge has been continued in the last year. Mr. BARNARD. Yes, sir. (The matter referred to is as follows:) The system by which the directives governing Office of War Information shortwave broadcasts are cleared with the State Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and by which the broadcasts themselves are carefully checked and rechecked for compliance with the directives, assures that the broadcasts are an accurate reflection of official United States policy. In effect, then, complaints that the broadcasts contain communistic propaganda are criticisms not of O. W. I. but of official United States policy. During the past fiscal year, the only complaints of this nature received by the Office of the Director have come from representatives of certain foreign governments-in-exile, principally the Polish Government in London. None could be substantiated. Monitoring records show that the enemy radio, both German and Japanese, have frequently made such charges. REDUCTION IN RADIO PROGRAMS Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. I understand that you are putting out 1,000 programs per week? Mr. COWAN. Out of 1,000 broadcasts, I would say, perhaps, 200 of them. Less than that, perhaps. That would be music with a commentary that goes with it. Mr. BARNARD. It runs about 30 percent, say, out of 1,000, music with commentator. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Is that service available to broadcasting stations? Mr. COWAN. Overseas; yes, sir. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. To broadcasting stations here? Mr. CowAN. In this country? Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Yes. Mr. COWAN. Yes, sir; it is done in this country, too, but not by us. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How does the rental we pay compare with the rental that N. B. C. charges the broadcasting stations? Mr. CoWAN. I believe it is either the same or lower than they are charging them. I should be glad to check that up for you, Mr. Wigglesworth. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Is it not very much higher? Mr. COWAN. No; I am sure it is no higher. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Would you check that up? Mr. CowAN. Yes, sir; we will check N. B. C. We will get that figure for you. (The matter referred to is as follows:) COST OF NATIONAL BROADCASTING CO. THESAURUS The cost to the Office of War Information for the rental of the National Broa1casting Co. Thesaurus is $100 per month, which is a minimum charge to all ust £ this service. HOLLYWOOD DIVISION Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. What is the Hollywood Division? That is something new, is it not? Mr. CowAN. Yes, sir. That developed this year. As the resul of the liberation of France, we were able to arrange with the motionpicture industry to prepare a number of special programs in French. which we have sent over to France. The arrangement is such that the motion picture industry itself makes the major contribution to it in making available the great French talent in Hollywood, and we do French programs, using such people as Charles Boyer. Our own people are producing these programs, and they have been a tremendous success in France. We have a very small staff handling the production of them. They are pr grams that, by American standards, would run $4,000 or $5,000 a show. CRITICISMS OF FOREIGN BROADCASTS Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Have you had any further criticism, since we last talked, of the work of your Hungarian, Polish, Italian, and the Yugoslav broadcasts? Mr. COWAN. I suppose the answer to that would be yes, that ther is always some criticism that would come up on that, and particularly in those languages. We have had, particularly, I think, complaint on the Polish broadcasts from time to time. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. As to the character of the material you were broadcasting? Mr. CoWAN. Yes, sir. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. On the theory that it was communistic in character? Mr. CowAN. I think the major criticisms that we have had have come from the official representatives of the Polish Government in this country. They have from time to time made complaints about the broadcasts. Mr. DAVIS. But I cannot recall that any of those complaints have ever been substantiated. Mr. BARRETT. Complaints have been substantiated in the sense that the broadcasts did include the statements complained of, but they have not been substantiated in the sense that these statements were a departure from the United States foreign policy. We get frequent complaints from various factions who are interested in the politics of southeastern Europe. That is because the factions differ very widely on what should be said to those countries, but we coordinate our effort very carefully with the State Department, and with very rare exceptions, every broadcast, as was said earlier, is an accurate reflection of American foreign policy. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Have the charges that the material broadcast was, in fact, communistic in character, continued during the past year, since we last discussed the appropriations for O. W. I.? Mr. COWAN, I do not think the complaints have been that as much Mr. WIGGLESWORTH (interposing). Have there been any complaints along that line? Mr. DAVIS. If there have been any, Mr. Wigglesworth, they have not been substantiated. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. But that does not answer my question. Mr. BARNARD. No, sir: I do not recall any complaints on that subject in recent months. Mr. DAVIS. 1 would not be sure that there have been none in the last year, but there have not been any lately. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. I wish you would check that up and put something in the record on it. We discussed it before, and I would like to know whether that character of charge has been continued in the last year. Mr. BARNARD. Yes, sir. (The matter referred to is as follows:) The system by which the directives governing Office of War Information shortwave broadcasts are cleared with the State Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and by which the broadcasts themselves are carefully checked and rechecked for compliance with the directives, assures that the broadcasts are an accurate reflection of official United States policy. In effect, then, complaints that the broadcasts contain communistic propaganda are criticisms not of O. W. I. but of official United States policy. During the past fiscal year, the only complaints of this nature received by the Office of the Director have come from representatives of certain foreign governments-in-exile, principally the Polish Government in London. None could be Bubstantiated. Monitoring records show that the enemy radio, both German and Japanese, have frequently made such charges. REDUCTION IN RADIO PROGRAMS Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. I understand that you are putting out 1,000 programs per week? Mr. CowAN. Yes, sir; that is correct. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Is that more or less than you have been putting out in previous years? Mr. CoWAN. That is considerably less, for the reason that I mentioned previously. When we discontinued around-the-clock broadcasting as certain countries became liberated we did not broadcast past certain hours. Mr. HULTEN. Last January or December we reduced the staff of this operation by approximately 200 people because of the reduction in the number of short-wave shows that we put on. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. What is that 200 reduction in percentage? Mr. HULTEN. It is a reduction of 200 from 750 which we formerly had. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. From 750 to 550? Mr. HULTEN. That is right. Mr. COWAN. For 1946 we are requesting about half of what we had a year ago. Mr. HULTEN. What the Congress authorized for this year. Mr. COWAN. We made that reduction feeling that it was not necessary to have that personnel on since we had discontinued some of our broadcasting. RADIO-PHOTO ACTIVITY Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Does this division run the radio-photo activity also? Mr. CowAN. No, sir; radio-photo is editorially directed by the News and Features Bureau. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. By the News and Features Bureau? Mr. CowAN. Yes, sir; and technical transmission is handled by the Bureau of Communications Facilities. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Are we still controlling all short-wave frequencies? Mr. CowAN. Yes, sir; all of those that are used for voice broadcasting. RADIO FACILITIES Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How about your radio facilities; how many of those do we have now? Mr. CowAN. On the east coast we have 29 short-wave transmitters, of which we are using 26 for voice broadcasts and 3 for Morse transmission of our news file. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How many do we have on the west coast? Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Twenty-nine and ten makes thirty-nine. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. How many are Government-owned and how many are privately owned? Mr. HULTEN. I will have that in a moment for you. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. Put it in the record. Mr. HULTEN. Yes, sir. Mr. WIGGLESWORTH. You gave us a table last year on page 203 of the hearings that showed the cost of installations, Government-owned international short-wave broadcast transmitters. I wish you would give us a similar table this year so that we can see the picture as it is now. Mr. BARNARD. We have those figures. We will do that. (The matter referred to is as follows:) Cost of installations, Government-owned international short-wave broadcast 1 Operating as dual 50's until final completion date, approximately June 15, 1945. Westinghouse radio stations: Modification of rhombic antenna at radio station WBOS. $113, 025 5,000 60, 215 178, 240 |